This artifact is a photograph of the cheerleading co-captains at James Madison University from the 1983-1984 school year. Back to back, the women pose in their uniforms as equals representing their cheer squad. Taken not even twenty years after the university first began accepting African-American students, this image is the earliest historical photograph portraying a Dukes cheerleader that is not white. Cheerleaders play a significant role in the athletics department. Their own athletic ability and hard work are not only important as a sport on its own, but they are also important in the team spirit and getting everyone excited for the athletic department. Always on the sidelines, these girls are representative of the entire university’s attitudes in regards to sports.
The desegregation of the school in 1966 that allowed people of color to attend was only the beginning of the journey to the diverse community in the school today. This image is reflective of the strides in the athletic department to be accepting of all groups of all people. What began as an all-white, all-women institution now had an African-American girl as the co-captain of a squad that led the school’s togetherness and connection over a shared goal for a well-respected and successful team. The unity and happiness these two women show transcend the racial turmoil that haunted James Madison University, such as the history of minstrel shows that played a significant role in the social and entertainment aspect of the university life.
Though these women are unidentified through the JMU Special Collections, they played a significant role in the way the university was viewed. Sporting events are and have been a big aspect of how universities interact with each other. Being seen with a diverse group of women supporting the sports teams at matches and games gave James Madison University the reputation of a progressive and accepting school it has today. All united with the same uniforms and cheering on the same team, this photograph is a memory of JMU as it made the transition from an exclusive school for white women to a diverse learning environment where people of all races supported each other instead of being divided. The athletic department showed this tremendously as the diversification of the sports teams in the later 20th century showed that racial turmoil can be surpassed and people are united under the common goal of supporting the institution they are a part of.
This photograph was taken during a school year where the JMU Men’s Basketball team was in the NCAA tournament, defeating West Virginia in the first round and gathering a larger audience to keep an eye on the university. These girls were there to cheer on the team that did so well despite any odds and represented the school’s undying spirits and accepting nature. Being seen at such a large scale was not only great exposure for the university’s athletic department but also the values of acceptance and diversity that are so important to the department’s standards today.
Control #Sche103, JMU Historic Photos Online, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.
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